


Young Clint Barton Had A Farm

by LightsOut



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: BAMF Natasha Romanov, Everyone Needs A Hug, Friendship, Healthy Relationships, I Believe in Bucky Barnes, OT3, Polyamory, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Sexual Content, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 01:17:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3338666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightsOut/pseuds/LightsOut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint Barton retires from S.H.I.E.L.D., buys a farm and becomes friends with the Avengers in that order.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Young Clint Barton Had A Farm

Clint was retired. It wasn’t exactly voluntary but after the epic FUBAR involving Loki and the Avengers nobody wanted to even look him in the eye anymore. He understood but that didn’t mean that he had to like it. As a sniper Clint was the guy who needed the trust of his team and he’d lost that the moment that Loki had tapped him with his magical glow stick of destiny (Clint would usually avoid quoting Stark but it was apt).

Words were tossed around in his report. Phrases such as ‘recovery’, ‘unknown damage’ and ‘possible psychotic tendencies’. With a report like that Clint didn’t wait for Fury to put a bullet in his head. He handed in all of the appropriate paperwork which was filled out with painstaking accuracy and he officially filed for retirement. The only one who had something to say about it was Natasha and that was more of a raised eyebrow conveying all of her feelings about the matter. She knew, as well as Fury, that Coulson was the only handler willing to put up with him on a long term basis and he wasn’t around to give his opinion on the matter. Clint would admire his balls for standing up to Loki if he wasn’t so pissed with the dead Agent for going up against a God with no back up.

So, Clint was officially retired.

He was given a healthy retirement fund because not a lot of Agents actually managed to retire. They usually came home with bullet holes. He had money, no plan and a total of one friend who was working for the organisation that didn’t trust him any longer.

He did the only sensible thing that he could do. He climbed into a non-S.H.I.E.L.D. issue car and he started to drive. When the car ran out of gas Clint climbed out at the side of the road, he left the keys in the ignition and he started to walk. Clint was the master of starting his life over and he adapted quickly to situations. He’d accepted a long time ago that life sucked and you just had to keep going until you fell down dead.

He walked for hours until he found a roadside diner. He slid into a seat at the end of the counter and ordered a coffee. Clint knew vaguely where he was but all that mattered was that it was more or less in the middle of nowhere. So long as it wasn’t New York or aliens or S.H.I.E.L.D. he could handle anything.

He didn’t stay for long and then he started walking again. He was in good shape and he crossed at least a couple of states but even he couldn’t keep walking forever. That was when he found it. The place looked like a complete wreck. It wasn’t even completely accessible from the main road because the track leading up to it was a mess.

It was perfect.

Clint bought the farm the next day using money he’d stashed over the years in private, hidden accounts and he went to work. It took him six months, twenty-one days and twelve hours before he sat down in his second-hand armchair and mentally announced to himself that it was finished. The roof no longer leaked, every room had floors that weren’t rotten and it was furnished with the bare minimum. Clint would even go so far as to say that he liked the place.

The project had saved his sanity many times over the passing months and he was glad that there was more to do. He’d fixed the road (and added surprises for unwanted visitors) but there was a barn that he was thinking about converting and he was even thinking about buying some animals.

It was more domestic than anything he’d ever had before and if he slowed down enough to think about it the whole affair felt really strange. It was another three months after he’d bought the farm before he had a visitor. He dragged the logs into the living room and glared at the red-head who was curled up in his armchair.

Clint huffed, “Are you going to give me a hand?”

Natasha lifted her head and she looked sad, “Hey.”

Clint’s expression softened and he left the logs by the door. He sat down on the floor and gently rubbed her bare feet, “What’s wrong Tasha?”

She closed her eyes and sighed, “Oh, just the usual. Fury faked his death, the Captain saved the world with the help of a new friend, and an old friend of his turned out to be the Winter Soldier and tried to kill us a few times. It turns out that HYDRA had assimilated themselves into S.H.I.E.L.D. and I had to leak every single one of our secrets onto the internet. Apparently we’re trending.”

Clint’s jaw dropped, “Damn… I really should’ve bought a TV and a phone.”

Nat smirked, “Yeah. This past year has really sucked.”

Clint kicked off his shoes and got up to start the fire, “So, we were rubbing elbows with HYDRA?”

“Since we started. So much for knowing who we were working for.”

Clint stretched out on the sofa once the fire was lit, “Life sucks.”

Natasha grunted in agreement. They stayed in silence for a while and then Clint stood up, “Are you hungry?”

She was asleep and looked comfortable. Clint smiled and draped a blanket across her before he went to the kitchen. His cooking had improved dramatically since he’d had a fully functional kitchen to work with but he only needed to heat up the soup he’d made the day before. He finished putting away the logs he’d left by the door and let her sleep for as long as he could. He woke her up when the food was done and after she’d eaten he gently pushed her up towards her room. Even from the beginning he’d had plans to give her a room of her own.

Once she was asleep again Clint curled up in his own bed with his dog, Lucky, stretched out across the end of his bed. S.H.I.E.L.D. was gone and HYDRA wanted to kill them all. Clint hated it when he was right. Life sucked.

Natasha stayed for a week before she received a call about Steve being released from the hospital. She kissed Clint on the cheek, “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer.”

Clint grinned widely, “No, you’re not. You’d go crazy if you had to stay here with nothing to do. Don’t worry about me and, Nat, go to Stark. The man has more lawyers than he needs and if anyone can protect you it’ll be him.”

Natasha smiled, “I’ll survive.”

Clint kissed her, “Always. The world would be a lot less dull without you.”

She left quickly after that and Clint was alone with his animals once more. A month later Clint had some more visitors including Steve. There was a knock on the door one evening and Clint opened it to find Steve being held up by a rough-looking Natasha and a handsome man who would’ve had Clint looking twice if it wasn’t for the circumstances. Clint stepped aside so that they could step inside and he helped them take Steve up to his room. Clint draped a thick sheet across the bed to hopefully stop any blood from seeping into his new mattress and they put Steve down gently.

Steve coughed a little bit but he didn’t look anything except tired when he smiled at Clint, “Hey, Hawkeye.”

Natasha and the handsome guy left the room so Clint flopped down into the armchair, “Hey Captain. You’re handling being shot very well.”

Steve’s smile was wide, “Yeah, if he wanted me dead then I would be dead.”

Clint shook his head, “I’ve been there. Natasha shot me the first time we met. So did Agent Coulson. And Fury. Wow, I get shot a lot.”

Steve laughed roughly and then flinched from the pain, “I’ll be all healed up in a day or two. Thank god for the serum.”

Clint grunted, “It must be nice to be shiny and new. I have more scars than smooth skin.”

Steve smirked, “A friend of mine used to say that scars were sexy.”

Clint grinned wickedly, “Then I am one sexy motherfucker.”

Steve closed his eyes and steadily started falling asleep, “Hmm, thanks.”

Clint went downstairs and found Natasha and the handsome guy arguing quietly in the kitchen. Clint gently pushed passed them both and grabbed some groceries from the fridge. He was lucky that he’d stocked up on food the day before. Clint pushed them both gently to one side and started chopping vegetables. He had a small rack of lamb and if he was going to cook enough for them all he was going to need a lot of side dishes. Lucky ambled into the room, curling up underneath the table and Clint dropped a couple of pieces of ham for him.

Natasha finally stopped arguing so that she could tell Clint, “That’s disgusting.”

Clint snorted, “You were feeding him chicken the last time you were here and a couple of pieces won’t do him any harm.”

Natasha glared and Clint went to shake his other guest’s hand, “I’m Clint Barton.”

The man smiled, “I’m Sam Wilson. Thank you for letting us in.”

Clint shrugged and went back to chopping, “So, I take it that you were doing something fun?”

Natasha huffed and sat down at the counter, “Steve is chasing after the Winter Soldier who obviously does not want to be found yet.”

Steve’s previous comment about someone not wanting to kill him made more sense, “You two are along for the ride?”

Sam washed his hands, “I’m just trying to make sure that the Captain stays alive for a while longer.” He gestured to the food, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Clint decided that he liked him and he was happy to let Sam help him while Natasha growled in Russian. Clint left her to get it out of her system and trying to get her to help when she was worried about an injured teammate was useless. Not that she would admit she was worried.

Clint went up to check on the Captain when dinner was almost ready and Lucky followed him. Clint was slightly surprised to find that Steve was awake when he walked into the room. Steve smiled, “You have a dog?”

Lucky jumped onto the bed, recognizing someone who would pet him, and Steve obligingly ran his hands through Lucky’s fur. Clint sat down in his chair again, “His name is Lucky. He’s lazy and chases the chickens when he thinks that I’m not looking.”

Steve looked wistful, “It sounds nice.”

Clint shrugged, “Are you hungry? The lamb’s almost finished and Sam’s made some sort of spiced potato vegetable dish that I can’t pronounce. Natasha’s pissed at you for getting hit by the way.”

Steve sighed, “It takes more than one bullet to the shoulder to kill me.”

“I’d rather not find out. Is that a yes or a no to food?”

“Yes, although I might need a hand to make it downstairs.”

Clint shrugged, “We’re eating up here. I didn’t expect a lot of visitors so I don’t have a dining room table.”

Before Steve could complain the door opened. Natasha and Sam walked into the room carrying heaped plates of food and Clint jogged downstairs to grab the plates and drinks. Thanks to the super soldiers’ appetite there were no leftovers but, everyone was full once they’d finished eating including Lucky who’d begged for more than a few scraps. It was a loud meal as they all talked over each other and Clint enjoyed himself.

When Steve was asleep again and Sam crashed on the sofa Natasha cornered Clint in the kitchen, “Your security systems need upgrading.”

Clint hummed, “If you’ve got time we can go through it before you leave.”

“Sure. You didn’t buy a phone.”

“I did. It broke. Somehow the chickens escaped and it all went downhill from there. These things happen.”

“Only to you.”

“I saw you on television. Even with Stark backing you that little show was pretty ballsy. If they come after you…”

“I’m more trouble than it’s worth and I’m more paranoid than you are.”

Clint smiled, “Yeah. Does Stark know that you’re helping the Captain track down his friend?”

“Of course.”

“Is it too much to hope that Stark is deadly allergic to farms and rural life so he won’t come out here?”

“Definitely.”

Clint sighed, “If he wants to give you guys a ride back to civilisation I won’t shoot him for trespassing on my land.”

“Not even as a favour for me?”

Clint grinned, “I missed you, Tasha.”

Natasha let him hug her briefly, “You need to train or you’ll be out of practice.”

Natasha kicked his ass in the barn. Clint had set it up just after Natasha’s first visit as a training ground and she grudgingly complimented it before she slammed him down onto the mat. Sam walked in through the open doors just as Natasha wrapped her thighs around Clint’s neck and he struggled to scramble away before he lost consciousness. They rolled and tussled until Clint tapped on the mat. Natasha backed off and collapsed down onto the mat next to him with a small laugh.

Clint lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles, “You were slow.”

She smirked, “You were sloppy.”

Sam shook his head at both of them, “You’re insane.”

Clint patted the mat invitingly, “We’re all mad here. Do you want a go?”

Sam smiled, “I’ll pass this time, thanks. Steve woke up briefly but he’s asleep again and I changed the bandage. Why do you need anti-venom in your first aid kit?”

Clint sighed, “I like to be prepared.”

Natasha snorted and told Sam, “He’s a magnet for trouble. Anti-venom is probably the least paranoid thing in his toolbox.”

Clint sat up slowly, “You’ve been saved more than once by my paranoia.”

Sam helped him to his feet and Natasha jogged back to the house for a shower. Clint looked Sam up and down and told him, “Natasha wasn’t exaggerating.”

Sam flinched, “I dread to think what she told you.”

Clint grinned wickedly, “All good things. So long as you’ve got her back we’re all good.”

He patted Sam on the shoulder and headed back to the house for his own shower. When he was cleaned up he said goodnight to Natasha who was in her room and Clint told Sam to take the final guestroom with no arguments. Clint spread out on the sofa and kept a close eye on the fire. The living room would be freezing without it but he wouldn’t leave it unattended either. He’d bought a bunch of blankets in weird colours and patterns so he figured that they would keep him warm enough to get a couple of hours sleep at least.

It was two days before Iron Man showed up. Frankly Clint thought that the dramatics were a bit much and Stark was crazier than Clint had previously thought as he yelled at Natasha. Clint just left them to work it out on their own while he went to feed his chickens. Steve joined him outside.

He just watched and then after a moment Steve asked, “How are you doing?”

Clint smirked, “Team leader responsibilities?” He sighed, “I’m sleeping and I’m eating properly. I’m busy and I’m actually building something for once instead of destroying it. I’m surprisingly alright.”

Steve smiled, “Good. I wanted to know if you were alright but after New York I wasn’t being told a lot. Fury’s kind of a dick.”

Clint laughed and it felt damn good, “Yeah, there’s no doubt about that. Did Natasha tell you anything?”

“Enough to put my mind at ease for a while. I feel bad for only visiting because I’d been shot and you’re house was the safest place in the area.”

“You’re welcome any time Cap’.”

“Thanks. I should probably check on Natasha and Tony.”

“I’m sure that they’re fine. Stark was wearing the suit after all.”

“Natasha an amazing woman. I’m happy for you two.”

Clint frowned in confusion and then he started laughing loudly, “It’s not like that. Yeah, we love each other but we’re not in love with each other. She’s… my port in the storm, I guess. For a very long time I expected to die with her knife at my throat and I came to terms with that.”

Steve looked melancholy, “She’s your best friend.”

Clint nodded, “Yeah. If you’re patient your best friend will come back to you.”

“If he doesn’t…”

“He will. Like you said… he didn’t shoot to kill. Did anyone ever tell you how I met Natasha?”

Clint launched into the highly classified story of how he’d been tasked to kill Natasha and he’d saved her instead. It wasn’t a pretty story but it felt like a goddamn relief to tell someone. Up until that point the only ones who’d known the full story were himself, Natasha, Phil and Nick Fury. S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secrets were out and Clint no longer had to hold his so close. By the end they were both laughing even though the story itself wasn’t funny. It was Clint’s personal anecdotes that had them in stitches.

When the laughter subsided Natasha’s voice was clear, “That’s not how I remember it.”

Clint grinned at her, “You just don’t want to admit that a teenage carnie managed to get the drop on you.”

Natasha rolled her eyes, “You had three years of S.H.I.E.L.D. under your belt by the time they assigned you to me. You were no longer a teenage carnie and it showed. Your flexibility was shit.”

Clint chuckled, “You fixed that.”

Natasha looked proud, “More trouble than it was worth.”

Clint laughed, “Yeah, yeah, love you too. So, Steve, it’s your turn to tell a story.”

Steve told Clint and Natasha about his first time at Coney Island. He’d gone with Bucky and it was enlightening to hear about Steve’s best friend before he’d become the Winter Soldier. Clint privately wondered if Steve realised he’d been in love with his best friend. He also hoped that they wouldn’t screw it up in the near future.

Sam couldn’t distract Stark forever even with the interesting subject of mechanical wings and he found them laughing in the barn. Stark looked around with a critical eye and grunted, “You need better targets. I can fix that.”

Clint started to say that he didn’t need him to do anything but Natasha shook her head once. Clint gave in with a sigh as he figured that he owed Stark for looking after Natasha. Stark flopped down onto the training mat beside them. He’d climbed out of his suit so he was wearing expensive jeans and an AC/DC shirt that was missing the arc reactor glow. Clint frowned a little bit but when he looked at Natasha she raised one eyebrow to signal that she would explain later.

Clint let his questions go and he grinned at Sam who’d followed Stark. Sam flopped down next to Clint and said, “I like it here.”

Clint winked at him, “Your welcome to stay if you like.”

Natasha hit him lightly in the arm, “Behave.”

Clint chuckled, “Not if I can help it. So, is there anything else I’ve missed that you’ve not told me about?”

Natasha looked thoughtful but she was interrupted by her phone buzzing, “Yes?”

Natasha’s expression ran through a complex series of emotions and she eventually hung up the phone without another word. Clint had grown more and more tense and when she met his eyes without flinching he knew that it was bad.

Eventually she cleared her throat, “That was the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Clint frowned, “S.H.I.E.L.D. which doesn’t exist anymore?”

“Yeah. It was… Coulson.”

Clint stiffened, “What the fuck?”

Stark was on his feet in an instant and on his phone talking at a mile a minute and he sounded pissed. Sam looked confused. Steve’s expression was hard and he was undoubtedly cursing Fury in his head. Natasha looked thrown and that was fucking terrifying. Clint felt… numb.

He stood up slowly, “I should start dinner and feed Lucky.”

He walked to the house and nobody followed him. Agent Phil Coulson had recruited Clint by shooting him in the leg and giving him the choice to live. After their rocky start they’d eventually become friends and then Clint had admitted to himself that he’d fallen in love with the cocky, suit-wearing bastard. He’d never had the chance to tell him because Fury had shipped him off to watch a glowing blue cube that fucked up his life.

Hearing about Phil’s death had completely thrown Clint. Now that his life was sort-of together and he could look at his reflection in the mirror without throwing up his life was tipped upside-down again. Phil was alive and it sounded like he was doing pretty damn well if he was the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Clint cooked but the actions were all automatic and it didn’t stop his mind from racing. Phil was alive.

Phil was alive and he’d called Natasha.

He’d not called Clint.

Clint clearly didn’t say it enough – life sucked.

Natasha was the first one to appear in the kitchen, “You don’t have to talk to him.”

Clint huffed, “What did he want?”

“A member of his team entered an alien city underground and needs monitoring. He knew that I was in contact with Stark and he knew that the conversation would be shorter if he called me rather than him.”

Clint asked, “You’re heading back to the tower?”

“Stark has a jet on the way right now. Clint… are you coming with us?”

Clint sighed, “No, but it’s not because I’m pissed at Phil, I mean Coulson. Director Coulson. Jesus, he always said that he’d hate that job. Anyway, it sounds like he needs Stark and Bruce. I’d just be surplus and I have animals to look after.”

“Clint…”

“Do you want to have Christmas dinner here? I know it’s not something we’ve ever done before but, I have the space now and I’ll even buy a table. It could be good to do something new.”

Natasha nodded slowly, “Yeah, Christmas sounds good.”

Clint smiled, “Good. That gives me a couple of months to plan. Maybe we can do Thanksgiving next year.”

Natasha hugged him tightly and Clint froze for a moment before he melted into the embrace. Natasha wasn’t the sort of person who usually initiated physical contact without trying to kill you but Clint didn’t mind. It just felt that much better when she let her guard down enough to let him in for a moment. The hug was brief and when she stepped back she nodded shortly and walked out of the room.

Clint smiled after her and checked the timer on the oven. Sam walked in next, “Am I always going to be the outsider?”

Clint snorted, “You’ll catch up. Basically, Coulson was my handler at S.H.I.E.L.D. before everything went FUBAR and we were friends. Then Loki turned me into his puppet and when Coulson confronted Loki with a gun based on alien technology Loki killed him. Well, that’s what Fury told Stark and Steve and then Natasha told me after everything was over. Apparently his death wasn’t very permanent if he’s now running a quiet branch of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Sam grunted and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, “That sucks. You liked the guy, didn’t you?”

Clint flinched, “I’m that obvious?”

Sam shrugged, “You’d flirt with me and then stop suddenly as if you felt guilty. I was the same way after Riley died. It was like… I wasn’t sure if it was okay. You’re reaction to Natasha’s news just confirmed the suspicion.”

Clint shrugged and pulled out the roast beef from the oven, “I never told him. It wasn’t long before everything went wrong that I realised I was really interested. My track record with relationships involves an ex-wife who tried to kill me and a long history of girls and guys who never lasted very long.”

Sam nodded, “Sorry, mate.”

Clint set up the food so that people could go into the kitchen and grab what they wanted, “Yeah. Life sucks.”

Clint took his food and curled up in the highest point of the house. Steve found him eventually, “This looks new.”

Clint nodded, “I finished it five days before you showed up.”

Clint had built a balcony that also served as a nest. He could crawl out of the attic window onto it. It was just big enough for two people to sit comfortably and Steve didn’t hesitate to settle next to Clint. After a long moment Steve said, “I’m angry.”

Clint nodded, “Yeah, but are you angry at Fury or Coulson?”

“Is it okay to say both?”

Steve genuinely meant it. Clint rested his forehead against the barrier surrounding his nest, “Sure, I am.”

Steve closed his eyes and admitted, “I’m tired. I slept for seventy years and I’m tired.”

Clint patted his back lightly, “Well, at least you’re not bleeding anymore.”

Steve shook his head and gave Clint a weak smile, “We’ll be okay.”

Steve sounded so determined that Clint didn’t have the heart to say otherwise. Instead he passed Steve his slingshot and said, “Let’s see if you can hit the tree over there.”

When their lift arrived there was a flurry of activity. Stark announced that Clint should expect a delivery of various equipment for his work out space in the barn and he was gone so quickly that Clint didn’t have the chance to argue. Clint’s last goodbye was to Natasha.

He kissed her cheek, “Don’t come back until Christmas if there’s not an emergency and look out for Steve. I think that he’s lonely.”

Natasha nodded, “I’m working on it. If you start to slide then you call me. No arguments and Stark has given you a StarkPhone so you have no excuses. It is super soldier tested. Steve accidentally broke five versions before Stark created the one you have.”

Clint smiled, “Stay safe Tasha.”

When Clint was on his own again he went to his range to work with his bow because it was the only time his mind was silent and he really needed that. The delivery that Stark had promised showed up a week later and Clint thought that it was extremely over the top. Unfortunately, Stark was unreachable and paying back a billionaire seemed counter-productive.

Clint let them set up the equipment and marvelled at the power of money since that not one of the men asked why he needed so much gear in the middle of nowhere. When they were long gone Clint sat in the middle of the training mat with Lucky and he concentrated on the sound of the wind outside.

He’d not relapsed in his progress, but he’d not moved forward either. So, on the weekend, he went to a craft fair and spent all day looking for a huge dining room table. He drove back with the table in the back of his truck and it barely fit through the door but Clint was creative and he managed. For the first time in days he slept well that night and he woke up feeling marginally better.

Natasha texted frequently so Clint knew that they were all working hard to help Phil’s team. Clint texted back vague responses and didn’t ask to hear specifics. He’d picked up a guitar from a charity shop along with some old books and he was learning to play since that he couldn’t make many improvements outside because it was freezing. He didn’t think that he was doing too badly even if he did have to tune the guitar every single time he picked it up.

Natasha showed up for Christmas dinner like she’d promised and she dragged along Steve who was still upset because he’d been unable to find Bucky. It was just the three of them and Lucky because Stark was having dinner with Pepper, Bruce was staying with the girl from Phil’s team and Sam was at his mother’s house. It was quiet but fun and they had an unspoken rule to not talk about what was happening in New York.

Clint had presents for them both and they spoke about him learning to play guitar. Steve admitted that he liked to draw and Clint revealed that Natasha had already told him so Steve’s present was a bunch of art supplies he’d picked up. Everything was mismatched but Steve looked ecstatic so Clint was happy. For Natasha he’d bought her a series of books she claimed to hate but secretly loved and a necklace of a black widow spider that he’d bought on eBay. In return Natasha had brought him a fluffy purple blanket and a DVD player. Steve had managed to find a series of cookbooks in a range of styles and Clint really appreciated it.

They stayed for a couple of days as they ate leftovers and barely moved. Clint wasn’t about to complain because he liked having them there. They left before New Year’s Eve and Clint turned down the invitation to Stark’s Christmas party. He had a quiet evening in and he toasted to the New Year by himself.

He lifted his glass and ruffled Lucky’s ears, “Happy New Year Lucky. Last year sucked so who knows what’ll happen this year.”

Clint didn’t see Natasha or any of the others until Valentine’s Day. He’d actually forgotten about the date but when he saw Steve half carrying the Winter Soldier up his driveway Clint started to chuckle, “If you were looking for a romantic getaway you should’ve tried Paris.”

Steve looked exhausted, “I can’t take him back to New York.”

Clint shook his head, “Take him inside and try not to destroy anything. S.H.I.E.L.D.’s pension scheme doesn’t mean shit anymore and January is not a good month for business so I’m running low on spare cash.”

Steve took Bucky inside and Clint briefly wondered what the hell he was thinking before he followed them inside. Steve made Bucky sit on the sofa and Clint went to the kitchen. Cooking was quickly becoming his automatic response to uninvited guests but he didn’t mind as much as he thought he would. He checked his phone but there were no messages from Sam or Natasha. Clint decided against texting them until he knew the situation. He made sandwiches which were easy and quick.

He set them down on the coffee table in front of Bucky, “They’re nothing special but I’ve not been shopping this week.”

Steve gave him a grateful smile, “I was on my way to visit you when he stepped in front of my bike.”

Obviously Steve had left his bike somewhere down the road and the words slipped out before into could stop himself, “Go get it. I’ll keep an eye on your friend.”

Steve looked panicked, “That’s…”

Clint nodded, “Go on and don’t speed. They don’t like it when you do that.”

Clint just stared at Steve until he gave in. When he was gone Clint grabbed one of the non-alcoholic beers from the six pack he’d placed on the table and he told Bucky, “It tastes like shit but it’s this or water at the moment. You should have one ‘cause you look like you need it even more than I do. Dehydration isn’t fun.” Bucky’s eyes were comically wide and Clint shrugged, “It’s your choice. If you’re hungry you should go ahead and eat ‘cause I know how much Steve can eat with that super soldier appetite. You should’ve seen how much chocolate he ate at Christmas. It was impressive.”

Clint flopped down into the armchair across the room and kicked off his boots. He propped his feet up on the footstool and watched Bucky. He was sitting rigidly and he looked ready to run. Despite his posture Clint knew that it meant something in that he’d approached Steve and they’d not killed each other. Clint knew a lot about measuring progress in unusual ways.

Bucky was wearing a worn brown leather jacket with jeans and at least a t-shirt and shirt. Clint thought about asking where he’d found the outfit but decided that he liked his limbs where they were. He kept quiet and waited because that was something he was damn good at. Clint was sitting in the room with a ninety-something year old assassin with no back up but he didn’t feel unsafe. He wondered idly if he needed to go back to his therapist. He dismissed the idea because he hated being prompted to talk about his feelings. Bucky didn’t eat or drink. Instead he watched Clint who just sprawled out further and drank from his can. Clint was hyperaware and he listened for the sound of a motorcycle.

Clint was really hoping that he wouldn’t have to try and stop Bucky if he tried to run. He highly doubted that Bucky was going to do anything before he was ready and Clint would rather shoot himself in the foot than give him an order. Clint was wondering just how far away Steve was when Lucky lazily ambled into the room. Clint’s dog wasn’t the most energetic animal unless it was lunchtime but Clint was completely shocked when he pulled himself up onto the couch and sprawled across Bucky’s lap. Bucky looked horrified and made a strangled noise.

Clint cringed, “Sorry about Lucky. He loves people and doesn’t really give a damn so long as he can sleep. Lazy mutt.”

Bucky was still looking at the dog in horror but slowly his expression changed into something thoughtful. He was obviously looking at the bald patch behind his ears and the obvious scarring around his eye, “Lucky?”

It turned out that Bucky Barnes had quite a nice, deep voice. Clint nodded slowly, “I didn’t name him. He belonged to the daughter of a Chicago gangster and, well, it’s a long story, but he’s been with me for a couple of years.”

“He’s… soft.”

“Yeah, you can pet him if you want. He loves that. He’s such an attention whore.”

Bucky was looking horrified again, “You’d let me touch him?”

Clint shrugged, “Sure, he’s already invading your personal space and it saves me from doing it. I once timed it and he made me sit for three hours petting him continuously. My arms ached for the rest of the day.”

Bucky shook his head but after five minutes of sitting rigidly his real hand came to rest in Lucky’s thick fur. Clint wanted to grin but he just relaxed further into the cushions of the armchair and watched Bucky from the corner of his eye. Bucky looked painfully young as he stroked Lucky and Clint’s ingrained sense for adopting strays was starting to sting.

Steve walked in, obviously trying to hurry without making it look that way, and Bucky pulled his hand back. Lucky whined and Clint chuckled, “I told you. He’ll let you do that all day. You’d better carry on or he won’t shut up.”

Bucky went back to petting Lucky but he was obviously more uncomfortable with Steve watching. Clint stood up slowly, “Hey, do you mind giving me a hand Steve? We’ll have to get the sheets for the guest bedroom out of the closet. If Bucky sleeps where Sam did last time you can have my room again and I’ll sleep in Natasha’s.”

Bucky was scowling, “Don’t call me that.”

Clint stopped by the doorway, “Bucky? Alright, what do you want me to call you? I’m Clint, by the way, I don’t think that I introduced myself before. Tasha blames my circus education for my manners but I’m just lazy really.”

Bucky was frowning deeply, “I am the Asset.”

Clint snorted, “Maybe you were, and for a while I was Loki’s bitch but, that doesn’t make me what I am. I like to choose for myself these days. I’m Clint Barton. I was once the Amazing Hawkeye. I was once a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Now I’m a landowner and an amateur farmer. Let me know when you figure out who you want to be.”

Clint left the room and after another moment he was joined by Steve. Clint handed him various bedding and Steve said quietly, “You don’t have to do this.”

“If you want me to leave you alone then I will, but I don’t think that it’s a good idea.”

Steve sighed, “I just assumed…”

“And you were right. You can’t take him back to New York and there’s not a lot he can hurt out here. He approached you so he obviously wants help but that doesn’t mean that he’s actually going to ask for it.”

Steve looked crestfallen and Clint smiled reassuringly, “Go and make the beds, Captain. Does Natasha or Sam know that you’re here?”

Steve cringed, “They knew that I was coming to visit you. They promised to watch Tony while I had a break.”

Clint grunted, “I’m going to have to tell them, but I’ll do everything I can to stop them from coming out here or telling everyone else about our guest.”

Steve nodded, “Thank you. Shouldn’t I tell them?”

Clint shook his head, “No, I’ll deal with it while you make the beds. Take your time Steve.”

Clint went downstairs and checked on Bucky who was still sitting rigidly as he petted Lucky. Clint pulled out his phone and sat back down in the arm chair. Bucky was looking at him with suspicion so Clint wasn’t going to add to that by slipping outside. Plus, super soldier hearing was really good so it would’ve been pointless to try and get some privacy anyway.

“Natasha.”

“Is Steve there?”

“Yeah, he’s here and so is his old friend.”

“What?!”

“He approached Steve of his own free will and is petting Lucky. It’s kind of sweet actually even though he is glaring at me for calling him sweet. You didn’t tell me that he was cute.”

“Damn it Clint!”

“Okay. I’ll stop. So, we’re all here and we’re fine so you do not have to come and rescue us.”

“Clint…”

“Stop. I’m fine, Steve’s fine and Bucky, who doesn’t want to be called Bucky, is fine. We’re still working some stuff out. Oh, and you can tell Stark that he totally cheated at internet chess.”

“You know what you need to say.”

“Urgh, fine, Natasha is the best.”

“Thank you. Alright, you call me the instant things go wrong and make Steve call me. He’s not getting out of this.”

“I’ll tell him and you can yell at him to your heart’s content. So, how’s New York?”

Clint stayed on the phone for a few more minutes before they said their goodbyes. Bucky was staring at him and normally Clint wouldn’t mind such intense scrutiny from such a hot guy but in this case he didn’t know why Bucky was looking at him like that.

Clint guessed, “Is it because I called you cute? Sorry, mate, but you’re living in the twenty first century and I’ve not hidden my preference for guys since I was fifteen years old.”

After a long moment Bucky shook his head, “I tried to kill her.”

Clint shrugged, “That’s actually a long list of people. Even I tried to kill her at one point before she started working for the good guys who weren’t all good guys… yeah, our lives are complicated. Steve’s making the bed so you’re free to go to go upstairs whenever you want. There are no house rules because I don’t have guests often enough to make it worthwhile making any up.”

The first choice Clint had been given after his brain was occupied by Loki was whether or not he wanted to save New York and the world. He figured that Bucky would benefit from making smaller choices since that he’d not had free will for decades. Clint doubted that he would get a lot of sleep but he was unsure of whether the initial disruption to his schedule would be bad or not. He was willing to wait and find out.

Steve walked into the room and he sat down on the floor by the fire, “I’m done.”

Clint nodded, “Okay. Are you hungry?”

Steve hesitated so Clint pushed the plate of sandwiches closer to him, “There’s no point in letting them go to waste. I’ll have to go and get groceries tomorrow. Is there anything special either of you want?”

Bucky looked sick at the thought of having to decide but Steve perked up a little bit, “Can you get those mini muffins that we had last time.”

Clint laughed, “Yeah, or I could get normal sized muffins.”

Steve pouted a little bit, “They don’t taste the same.”

Clint laughed again, “Okay, mini muffins it is. Anything else?”

Steve shook his head because he wasn’t fussy about what he was eating so long as it could keep up with his super soldier metabolism. Clint wasn’t going to make Bucky do anything he didn’t want to before he was ready. Steve looked unsure and he was sitting with his knees against his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs to hold them close. It was easy to forget that Steve was so young when he was taking charge as Captain America.

Clint gestured to the television, “Do you guys want to watch something? So long as we avoid the movie channels I don’t mind what we put on.”

Steve frowned, “Why not the movie channels?”

“It’s Valentine’s Day. They only ever show sappy romances on Valentine’s Day.”

Steve frowned, “I’d forgotten about that. Did you know that Natasha punched Director Coulson?”

“I know. Stark sent me the picture. It was a beautiful punch.”

“Has he called you?”

“No, and I don’t see why he would. I’m not part of the gang anymore.”

“You’re an Avenger.”

“Seriously? The only reason I was there was because you needed someone to fly a plane.”

“That’s not true. None of us had much of a chance that day but we worked together anyway. Being assigned to work together doesn’t make you a team, Clint. Being able to work together is what makes us a team. Besides, I’d rather have you as our eyes than anyone else.”

Clint was undeniably pleased by the compliment that Captain America was giving him, “Well, thank god for cognitive recalibration. If I go to bed are you going to wreck the house ‘cause I’m not signing up to be your babysitter?”

Steve smiled, “Sorry we showed up so late.”

“It happens. Breakfast is whatever you can find in the cupboards and I’ll leave early in the morning to go shopping. Goodnight gentlemen.”

Clint was halfway up the stairs when he heard Bucky say, “He’s leaving us.”

Steve answered, “He’s trusting us. We’ll see him tomorrow.”

It took three months and a lot of work before Bucky was in a safe headspace. He still woke up screaming but so did Clint and Steve some nights. They all had their nightmarish pasts and Clint honestly believed that Bucky took a small comfort in that fact. He needed to know that he wasn’t alone and he had that on Clint’s farm.

For the first two months Bucky had reluctantly answered to ‘James’ and then, one evening, he’d turned to Steve and asked cautiously, “Can you call me Bucky again?”

Steve had just smiled gently and answered, “Whatever you want, Buck’.”

They all shared the chores and Clint had finally convinced Bucky that it was okay to train and to keep himself in shape without needing an ulterior motive. Then he’d shown him a few really bad exercise videos and proved that it was an entire, strange industry. He refused to spar with Clint or Steve but he did let them watch as he moved through his own routines. Sometimes it was stilted and he broke off in the middle with frustration but sometimes it was perfect and amazing to watch. Personally Clint preferred the broken routines because the fact that he stopped was proof of how much progress he’d made. He didn’t push himself to the limit under the fear of punishment and Clint wanted to cheer that fact.

Under Clint’s sharp eye Bucky had started to cook and Steve did all of the shopping so that Clint could talk to Bucky in private. It wasn’t perfect but it was working. For the last week into month three they’d been preparing for Natasha’s visit. They were careful and Clint double checked everything with Bucky. Natasha was understanding whenever Clint called her to check about details and triggers.

When the day of her visit finally arrived Bucky was up early. Clint shuffled into the kitchen and smiled at him, “Hey, everything okay?”

Bucky shrugged, “Yeah.”

Clint snorted, “You’re a crappy liar. Worse than Steve.”

Bucky smirked, “No one’s worse than Steve. Tell me honestly, what are the chances of her killing me as soon as she gets here?”

“You’re perfectly capable of running the odds yourself. She’s really pissed about the fact that you shot her and she has a scar. You ruined her perfect bikini body.”

“Great. The odds just lowered.”

Clint laughed and Bucky handed him a mug of hot coffee, “She’ll be worried but she’s left you here with us for three months. I would say that you have a fighting chance.”

“What if… what if I turn back into him?”

“Oh, Bucky, we’ve been through this. I worry about the same thing but I’m still going strong and we’re here for you.”

Bucky still looked worried, “Promise me. Promise me that if I do you will kill me.”

Clint shook his head but he promised like he always did, “If we can’t save you then I will kill you. So you’d better fight damn hard to be yourself because the power of Steve’s sorrow might kill me. Those damn puppy dog eyes are a lethal weapon.”

Steve ambled into the room. He was wearing soft dark blue sleep pants and no shirt. He looked adorable and sleep rumpled just like he did every morning. He smiled softly at them both and said, “Hey.”

Clint looked at Bucky and just like every other morning he said, “If you don’t hug him, I will.”

Bucky rolled his eyes and doctored Steve’s coffee perfectly. When he passed it to Steve he patted him gently on the shoulder, “I’m going to go and get dressed.”

Steve watched Bucky leave the room with a pathetic love-struck expression and Clint rolled his eyes, “You could go after him.”

Steve jumped slightly and sipped his coffee, “Not until he wants me to.”

Clint sighed, “If you weren’t so pretty I’d kick you out of my house.”

Steve laughed like he always did and he winked, “It’s a good job I’m good-looking then.”

Clint chuckled and grabbed the bacon and eggs, “Go get dressed and I’ll make breakfast. Oh, and remind your boyfriend that it’s his turn to feed the chickens this morning.”

Natasha arrived at lunch time and Clint hugged her. She grumbled but let him cuddle her for a moment. When he was done he stepped back and said, “Wow, you look amazing.”

Natasha preened, “I know. Stark pays better than S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Clint laughed, “Good to know. Is your job still for show?”

Natasha shrugged, “I’m Pepper Pott’s P.A. and her unofficial bodyguard. It’s surprisingly interesting.”

Clint nodded, “Good. Come on, dinner is almost ready and Steve has a tendency to overcook things if I’m not there to watch him.”

Natasha followed him and didn’t bother to hide her visual assessment of her surroundings. They’d decided that it would be better if Bucky and Natasha met outside of the house so he was waiting at the front door. He was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a smart dark blue button down shirt that he’d picked out himself. They all knew that he wasn’t ready for crowds of people but he’d proved that he was adept at online shopping and he had a great sense of fashion.

Bucky was obviously nervous because he kept rubbing his real hand across the back of his metal one but he met Natasha’s eyes without fear, “Hello, Miss Romanov. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Natasha was silent as she judged him but finally she nodded, “I’m hungry.”

They walked inside with Bucky leading the way. He was tense but he didn’t turn to keep an eye on Natasha so Clint counted that as a small win. Steve had already set the table and he grinned at them all, “Hey, everything’s ready Clint.”

Dinner was thankfully uneventful and there was no blood shed so Clint was happy. It was still tense but Clint didn’t miss Natasha’s small smile when Bucky responded favourably to Steve’s gentle teasing and Clint’s louder, bawdy remarks. Natasha stayed for two days and went back to New York feeling better.

She let Clint hug her and told him, “You’re doing well.”

He shrugged, “I’m doing the best that I can. He’s the one who is working hard to change things for the better.”

She agreed, “You still need to call me every day.”

“I know. Now that we’re alone, how is New York?”

“There’ve been no real developments. Skye doesn’t like being restrained and Coulson hovers like a worried mother whenever he has the chance. She’s too much of a free spirit and she’s used to wandering. She’s still working but Coulson won’t let her out into the field. You’d like her.”

Clint knew what she meant, “Coulson always did have a soft spot for strays.”

She smirked, “So it’s learned behaviour?”

Clint rolled his eyes, “When you get back to New York tell Sam that I miss his handsome face. Oh, get him to send me a picture. Persuade him to be naked.”

Natasha laughed and hit him lightly, “Get your hands off my boyfriend.”

Clint’s jaw dropped and then he grinned widely, “You are a terrible best friend. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Natasha smirked, “I didn’t want to miss the expression on your face and it’s a recent development."

Clint laughed, “I knew that I liked him for a good reason. I’m happy for you both and there is an arrow with his name on it if he hurts you.”

Natasha kissed his cheek, “I wouldn’t expect anything less, but you’d have to get to him first.”

When she was gone and it was the three of them again Bucky made more and more progress. After another three months Steve had to go back to New York because of a big mistake Stark had made. Clint could’ve gone with him, he was asked, but he took one look at Bucky who still looked nervous when he saw crowds on the television and his decision was easy.

Clint relaxed and said, “Go and save the world. Bucky and I will be waiting when you get back. Oh, and kick Stark’s ass for me. For a genius he can be a real idiot sometimes.”

Steve was reluctant to leave which put Bucky on edge but once he was gone Bucky settled. They were curled up in front of the television one evening when Bucky sighed. It was a long, contemplative sigh and Clint was asking before he could stop himself.

“What’s up?”

Bucky shook his head, “I don’t deserve him or any of this.”

Clint watched Steve run down the streets of New York in his Captain America suit, “I know one thing for sure. Life sucks and you just have to keep going until you fall down dead. Recently I’ve made a few amendments to that but at its core that’s what I believe. Life sucks but that doesn’t mean I can’t be happy occasionally. If Steve makes you happy, and he does so don’t you dare deny it, then you should let yourself be happy. Besides, it’s not entirely your decision and Steve offered his heart on a platter to you the day you picked him up out of the dirt and called him a punk.”

Bucky smiled, “He told you about that?”

“After you shot him a few months back and he was smiling about the fact that you’d missed on purpose. My point is, if you really believe that you don’t deserve him then you should change that.”

Bucky was silent for a long moment while they watched the news and he thought about Clint’s words, “Can I go to town with you tomorrow?”

Bucky had never asked before and Clint had never offered but he didn’t hesitate, “Sure, with the amount of food you eat it’s about time you carry some of it.”

Bucky snorted and they both smiled when the news showed Steve kneeling down to smile at a small child.

Everything was running smoothly until a week later when the Avengers turned up on Clint’s doorstep. Clint sighed and said, “You should call next time.”

Clint left them all in the living room and he jogged over to the barn where Bucky was training. Bucky snapped to attention as soon as they saw each other and Clint shook his head, “Relax, the Avengers are recuperating but the battle is over. Apparently they almost destroyed New York again in the process and Stark needs a couple of days to set the wheels in motion on the clean-up.”

Bucky hadn’t relaxed, “Steve?”

“In the kitchen drinking all of our milk.”

Bucky looked in the direction of the house and then he shook his head, “A couple of days?”

Clint nodded, “Yeah, I can send them away though. Tony has enough houses around the world.”

Bucky shook his head, “No, they should stay. I’m gonna take off.”

Clint’s stomach dropped, “What?”

“Not forever. I was talking to Deuce down the road and he was talking about camping. I told him that I’d think about it because spending a night in the middle of nowhere is apparently fun when you’re not waiting to kill someone.”

Clint relaxed, “It is actually. I didn’t realise that you’d made good friends with the neighbours.”

Bucky smirked, “What do you think that I do when I can’t sleep? Mrs Johnson feeds me cookies and Deuce and I are sorting through the junk he keeps in his barn. Apparently his uncle liked to hoard random shit.”

Clint smiled, “Sounds nice. Will you at least tell Steve before you go?”

Bucky sighed, “He’s going to panic.”

Clint snorted, “Bring up the camping part before you say that you’re leaving and you should be fine.”

An hour later Bucky was desperate to leave because Stark kept poking his metal arm and Bruce was green around the edges. Eventually Steve came back downstairs, freshly showered and Bucky hustled him out of the house. As soon as Bucky had mentioned taking off for some peace and quiet Steve had immediately agreed to go with him and Clint was tempted to join them. Instead he waved as they drove away in his truck.

Natasha had her room which she retired to early and dragged Sam with her. Clint made a mental note to ignore any possible sounds from that direction. Tony was restless so he took apart Clint’s toaster at the insistence that he could make it better. Bruce crashed in the guest room and Clint felt comfortable knowing that the doctor was sleeping.

The next day Phil arrived in Lola and Clint stood in sentry position by his front door, “Good morning, sir.”

Phil was too good to show any physical reaction to the formal greeting, “Mr Barton, it’s nice to see you again.”

Hearing his name without ‘agent’ in front of it was almost painful but Clint didn’t even twitch, “It’s been a while. Captain Rogers isn’t here, sir, but Black Widow is in the barn with Falcon. Iron Man is in the kitchen but he is talking to Miss Potts. Dr Banner is still sleeping and I wouldn’t recommend waking him before he is ready.”

Phil nodded like it was a regular report, “Thank you, Mr Barton. Where is Captain Rogers?”

Clint looked him straight in the eye, “He’s camping with Bucky Barnes, sir. I’m sure that Captain Rogers will use the peaceful time to reflect and compose a full report for you.”

Phil nodded shortly and asked, “Can you direct me to the barn?”

Clint pointed and when Phil was out of sight he stormed into the house and flopped down onto the sofa. Yelling wouldn’t help and Tony had already taken that route. Hitting him had been taken by Natasha and the others had already had their moments with Phil Coulson. For his first time seeing him after Loki he was feeling pretty good about the way he’d handled it. He sure as hell wasn’t going to be childish about it. He refused to feel like a fool in front of the stone-faced agent.

Sam came in eventually and flopped down onto the armchair, “I could sleep for a week.”

Clint sat up and snorted, “I didn’t hear you doing a lot of sleeping.”

Sam blushed, “Yeah.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s not difficult to love her.”

Clint smiled gently, “Yeah, I know, but I was actually thanking you for making her laugh. It’s not an easy job.”

Sam smiled back, “It’s worth it. So, you saw Phil?”

Clint grimaced, “Yeah. He’s still the same.”

“But you’re not.”

“No, I’m not.”

Sam nodded, “Natasha’s not the only one who deserves to be happy.”

“I am happy.” Stark shuffled into the room and passed Clint something. Clint frowned at it, “I have a phone. You gave me one the last time you were here.”

Stark snorted, “It’s called progress, Barton.”

Clint sighed, “Thanks, Stark.”

Natasha walked into the room with Phil on her heels and she stood in the centre, “Phil wants to debrief with us.”

Clint stood up, “I’ll go and make dinner. Dr Banner is going to be starving when he wakes up.”

Sam asked, “You don’t want to hear the story?”

Clint snorted and shook his head, “I’ve heard too many but I’m sure that you’ll have fun.”

Clint stood for a moment in the kitchen as he resolutely didn’t think about never being a part of their world again. He closed his eyes and gripped the edge of the counter tightly. He’d thought that he was doing alright and he’d certainly never expected to miss working. His job wasn’t exactly something he could talk about at dinner parties and it was never pretty but he’d survived and he’d done well.

Clint didn’t jump when Bruce cleared his throat but he was surprised. He turned around, “Hey, doc, are you alright?”

Bruce smiled gratefully, “Yes, thank you Clint.”

Clint waved in the general direction of the living room, “Phil’s running a debrief in my goddamn house so if you want to join the others they’re in there.”

Bruce cringed, “I’d rather not right now. My part mostly consists of ‘Hulk, smash’.”

Clint snorted, “I still can’t believe Steve came up with that. You can always help me if you like. It feels like I’m always cooking now.”

Bruce nodded, “Having something to do sounds like a good idea. Why is your toaster disassembled?”

Phil left at dinnertime after talking to Bruce and Clint walked him out to his car like a good host. Clint let himself smile as he ran a hand lightly over the hood of Lola, “She’s still a gorgeous girl.”

“Barton, I thought that you deserved to get out clean.”

Clint sighed, “We’re talking about this? Alright, I’m pissed at you because we were friends, not because we were co-workers.”

“Clearance levels…”

“Are bullshit. Did you really think that I believed you were dead? The only time I’ve ever believed that Fury was telling the truth was when he told me that he’d shoot me in the head if I went rogue. Besides, there were signs. Fury didn’t even move Lola from her parking garage and I knew that she was supposed to go to him if you really died.”

“You didn’t tell anyone?”

“Of course I didn’t. Fury was ready to fulfil his promise to shoot me and Nat wouldn’t let me out of her sight.”

“Right, well, Barton… Clint, good luck.”

They shook hands, “You too, Phil.”

Steve and Bucky came back eventually and it was obvious to everyone that something had obviously happened because they couldn’t stop smiling at each other. Steve called Phil with his report and Bucky was too busy watching Steve to be nervous about the other Avengers. Stark didn’t stay for long and Bruce went with him although Clint didn’t think that Bruce was against staying. He suspected that Bruce was restless and he wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Bruce would take off for a third world country and his version of a working holiday until Stark could rebuild him a lab.

Natasha and Sam didn’t stay either and on their way out Natasha told Clint, “They had sex.”

Clint frowned, “Who had sex?”

She rolled her eyes, “Bucky and Steve.”

Clint tried really hard not to think about it in detail, “It’s about time. They’ve had decades of sexual tension.”

Natasha looked thoughtful, “You’re all pretty close.”

It wasn’t like Natasha to make innocuous statements and Clint said slowly, “Yeah, they’re good guys.”

Natasha relaxed, “Yeah, they are. Call me if you need anything.”

Everything returned to normal except that Bucky and Steve started dating. Clint had no problem but hearing two super soldiers have hot and heavy sex that was decades overdue was making Clint wistful and more than a little bit horny himself which was embarrassing. That didn’t stop him from making crude but happy jokes over breakfast and making Steve blush.

One day they were sitting in the living room and Steve said, “We’ve been living here for almost a year.”

Clint handed him a beer, “Yeah, I guess that it has been that long.”

“I like it here.”

Clint smiled, “You’re both great housemates. Oh, I’d almost forgotten…”

Clint left the room briefly and came back with a squirming Border collie puppy. Bucky looked like he instantly fell in love and Steve was the same. Clint handed the puppy to Bucky who cuddled her close to his chest immediately.

Bucky’s eyes were bright, “What’s it called?”

Clint shrugged, “She doesn’t have a name yet. The couple who run the diner found her abandoned but I had the vet check her over and she’s perfectly healthy. I thought that you might like to name her.”

Bucky looked at Steve who said softly, “It’s your choice Buck’.”

Bucky frowned deeply, “I don’t know.” The dog drooled on Bucky’s metal arm and neither Steve nor Clint tried to hide their laughing. Bucky frowned at them both, “I’ll get you both.” It had turned out that Bucky had a talent for pranks but Clint didn’t let that put him off. Bucky thought for so long that Clint was thinking about getting a snack. Eventually Bucky shrugged, “Rogue.”

Clint nodded, “Good, now she’s officially yours and you guys can be the ones to look after her. I should warn you that she has a habit of chewing on shoes and she doesn’t tire out easily. I’ll give you the books and everything else that the vet gave me.”

A couple of weeks later the night was quiet and Clint was equally grateful and annoyed. He woke up in the middle of the night so hard that it was painful and it was impossible to tell if Steve or Bucky were also awake. Clint gritted his teeth and shoved his hand down into his boxers. The first touch almost made him hiss but he bit back the sound. He tried every trick he knew to try and get himself off as quickly and quietly as he could but his release was just out of reach.

Clint scowled at the ceiling as he slowed his strokes and he finally stopped. He was painfully hard but it wasn’t working for him. Clint kicked his way free of the thick duvet and he slipped out of the bed to go to the bathroom. He switched on the shower and undressed quickly before he stepped under the powerful spray. Clint had the best shower on the market because Natasha had pulled some strings for him and the tension melted from his shoulders.

He gripped his aching cock gently and soaped himself up to make the glide of his hand smoother. It was working better than lying in his bed and he wasn’t worried about anyone hearing the tiny little moans that slipped out. His calloused hand worked his cock in long strokes while his other hand slipped behind to circle his hole.

He’d not played in a long time so he was surprised at how sensitive he was. His world had narrowed down to his own pleasure and he teased himself because he’d forgotten how much he liked the build-up. When his hand started to speed up he moved his hand away from his ass to grip the shower rail. He came with a bitten-off shout and he shook as his come dripped onto his curled hand.

The shower washed away any evidence and when Clint was loose and relaxed there was a gentle knock at the door. Clint jumped slightly and he heard Steve ask, “Clint, are you alright?”

Clint shook his head at himself, “Yeah. I just couldn’t sleep.”

“Neither can Bucky. I’ll make hot chocolate.”

“Sure. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Clint changed into a different pair of boxers and pulled his largest purple hoodie over his head before he padded down in fluffy purple socks to the kitchen. Steve was shirtless with dark blue trousers and Clint enjoyed the sight for a moment before he glanced at Bucky. Bucky was wearing black trousers and nothing else. He actually looked kind of cold because it wasn’t a warm night but apparently super soldiers ran hotter than the average human.

Clint sat at the table and ignored Bucky’s chuckles when he hunched over his drink. Steve wasn’t always the best cook but he made the most amazing hot chocolate. Steve and Bucky sat on the opposite side of the table and Clint tried not to stare at where their shoulders brushed against each other gently every time they moved.

His crush on both of them hadn’t disappeared and he wasn’t particularly dealing with it either. He’d not spoken to anyone about it. He’d not even mentioned it to Natasha although he knew that she must’ve figured it out. Clint was always an open book to his best friend, especially because he wouldn’t use his training against her in a personal situation. For people who’d grown up with no trust or faith in humanity they’d started to slowly change that with each other and that trust had grown to include a surprising amount of people. Sometimes it scared Clint but most of the time it was reassuring.

Steve was smiling at him and when he didn’t stop Clint leaned back warily, “What?”

Steve shook his head and glanced at Bucky who rolled his eyes. They proceeded to have a silent conversation that even Clint couldn’t follow because it was between two best friends who’d grown up together. Clint wondered if he was feeling the same way that others felt whenever he had his own silent conversations with Natasha.

Eventually Bucky turned away from Steve and leaned towards Clint, “Steve’s been worried.”

Clint frowned, “Worried about what?”

“You.”

“Me? What? I’m fine.”

Bucky gave him a shit-eating grin, “You know what ‘fine’ stands for, don’t you?”

Clint rolled his eyes and Steve said, “Freaked out, insecure, neurotic and emotional.”

Clint sighed, “Only you two could make me regret introducing you to ‘The Italian Job’.”

Bucky laughed, “The original was better. My point is, Steve’s kind of a mother hen and he’s worried about you.”

Steve frowned at Bucky for the description but he nodded at the rest of it, “I know you’re okay but… oh, damn, I’m really bad at this.”

Bucky snorted softly in agreement, “Always have been and you always will be. Clint, Steve’s been worried about you because we like you.”

Clint’s worldview slowed down to a crawl, “Huh?”

Steve pouted, “Bucky, we were supposed to ease him into it. Not everyone is okay with talking about polyamory and stuff like that.”

Clint’s jaw dropped, “What?”

Bucky smirked, “I think we broke him.”

Steve frowned, “Don’t be mean. I’m sorry Clint. We didn’t mean to spring it on you but we were talking about it and Bucky was very enthusiastic.”

Bucky interrupted, “Hey! You’re the one who started talking about his biceps and was dreaming about drawing them.”

Steve scowled, “I was not. Besides, you’re the one who watched his ass for almost ten minutes when he was fixing the sink.”

Clint started to laugh, “Oh my God. Oh my God. Captain America and the Winter Soldier are bickering about me. Somebody needs to pinch me.”

Bucky shrugged and pinched Clint’s forearm. Clint yelped and Steve said, “For Christ’s sake, Bucky, he didn’t mean it literally.”

Bucky shrugged, still holding onto his shit-eating grin, and Clint settled down slightly, “Okay. So, assuming I didn’t pass out in the shower or I’m not dreaming right now… Captain America and his cyborg boyfriend just asked me to have a threesome.”

Bucky growled at the cyborg comment but didn’t say anything and Steve took control of the conversation, “Judging by Bucky’s reaction after you fixed the sink we definitely want to have sex with you, but we also want all of that other relationship stuff that Sam keeps telling us is important.”

Clint nodded and sipped his hot chocolate thoughtfully. After a long moment he said, “Okay. Okay, I’m definitely not saying no because that’d be crazy but… I need time to think about it. Relationships and I are like oil and water.”

Steve looked happy and Bucky looked thoughtful. They both nodded and Steve stood up to rinse out his mug. He kissed Bucky’s temple and said, “I’m going to bed. Don’t stay down here for too long.”

Bucky nodded, still watching Clint, and Steve waved weakly before he padded out of the room. Once he was gone Clint shifted awkwardly and Bucky smiled. The expression was slow, predatory and Clint was ready to give in and let Bucky eat him alive. He reined in his screaming hormones and stretched, “Damn, I never would’ve thought that two guys from the forties would be so open minded.”

Bucky shrugged slowly, “You’ll be surprised.”

It sounded half like a threat and half like a promise. Clint wasn’t sure what to make of it before Bucky nodded shortly and made his way out of the room. Clint’s mind was spinning and he waited half an hour before he slipped outside and called Natasha.

“Fuck off Barton.”

“I know, it’s early but I couldn’t wait.”

There was a long groan and the sound of shuffling but eventually Natasha growled, “I need to sleep.”

“You’re too beautiful to sleep.”

“Weird compliments to try and persuade me to be nice? What’s going on Clint?”

“They just propositioned me!”

“Use longer sentences or I will ship you off too Antarctica with my best wishes.”

Clint took a deep breath, “None of us could sleep so we went down to the kitchen like we usually do. Then Steve and Bucky told me that they want to be in a polyamorous relationship with me. Me! Also, how do they even know the terminology?”

“Clint, they’re more tech-savvy than you are. It is interesting though. Hang on, I’ll put you on with Sam.”

“You’re sleeping with Sam?”

The phone had evidentially already been passed because Sam’s amused voice answered, “Yes, she is. So, what’s going on?” Clint told him and Sam hummed, “Well, good for them. Finding a safe space isn’t easy for anybody and you’ve all got your issues but it sounds like you’re doing well. You’ve done more for Bucky than Steve could’ve hoped for and I already know that they both find you attractive.”

“They talked to you about this?”

“I sent them to the safer sites about understanding sexuality. That was an awkward conversation. So, I take it that you don’t object?”

“How could I? They’re both amazing and deadly.”

“I’d worry about your taste but, Natasha said the same thing to me about herself when we first started dating. Anyway, what are you specifically worried about? Is it Phil?”

Clint flinched, “Honestly, no. Dying-but-not-dying and then keeping it a secret turns out to be a real mood killer. I know that I was attracted to him, I get that I wanted it to be more but now it’s more of a memory than a feeling.”

“Huh. That’s a pretty healthy attitude, Clint.”

“I read a lot of self-help books.”

“I’ll recommend some good ones. If it helps, I still have trouble believing that I’m good enough for Natasha.”

Clint sighed because Sam had hit the nail on the head, “My history speaks for itself.”

“You seem to be an advocate of not letting the past define you. I suggest that you start taking your own advice.”

The phone was handed back to Natasha who said, “Call me at a more reasonable hour. I have to have sex with my incredible boyfriend.”

Natasha hung up and Clint was disturbed but after a moment he shrugged and went back inside. He’d heard Natasha say far worse things and it was nice to know that she was living in the moment. He wondered when she’d last thought about the inventory in her safe houses. He wondered if she’d finally unpacked the duffle she always kept by the door. It was the little things that made a person and when those things started to change the person did as well. Clint was surprisingly okay with the thought of Natasha being someone a little bit different so long as she was stable and happy.

He managed to fall asleep eventually.

The next morning Clint woke up to find Lucky and Rogue on his bed. Clint frowned slightly because he wasn’t sure how they’d both found their way past a closed door without waking him up. He remembered that Bucky had started running with Steve on a morning after breakfast so he figured that he’d slept in and Bucky had let the dogs into his room so that they wouldn’t follow them. Clint petted them both before he climbed out of bed and dressed slowly. As he went downstairs to have breakfast he mulled over Steve and Bucky.

Steve was all-American gorgeous and Clint could admit to watching him with more than passive interest when he worked out. He was sleepy and huggable first thing on a morning and he wanted people to be the best that they could be. He had high standards but they weren’t unreasonable and he oddly shy about his own artwork.

Bucky was strong and he had strong personal morals. He was almost unforgiving if he refused to meet his own standards even in small instances. He had a wicked, dirty sense of humour. He was supportive and he seemed calmer in Steve’s presence.

As Clint thought he realised a few other things. Bucky looked happy whenever Clint asked him to help with anything. Steve blushed and smiled if Clint praised his artwork. Bucky liked to watch Clint cook even when he didn’t have to be in the kitchen. Steve always went out of his way to include Clint even when they were just settling down to watch a movie.

The biggest realisation was that Clint liked it. Somehow they’d worked their way into his life so that he couldn’t imagine living on the farm without them and he’d not seen it coming. In the beginning he’d always expected them to find their own place when Bucky felt stable enough and Clint would be left behind. Now it seemed that they were determined to stay and Clint didn’t mind at all. If Natasha could be comfortable and happy with her life then so could he.

Bucky and Steve were in the kitchen. Bucky was grinning and Steve had his head thrown back as he laughed. Clint hovered in the doorway for a moment but Steve turned to smile brightly at him and he walked into the room. He’d been followed by Rogue who raced to Bucky and he kneeled down to stroke her. Clint saw Steve smiling at the two and realised that his own expression was the same.

He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and asked, “Did you collect all of the eggs?”

Steve grabbed the basket from behind the bread and moved to the stove, “I’ve got it. Bucky wanted to talk to you about carving.”

Clint was confused, “Carving?”

They sat at the table and Bucky explained, “Me and Steve were arguing about art and somehow we ended up looking at videos of tree carving. It looked like fun.”

Clint was amused, “You want to carve trees.”

Bucky moved his hands excitedly, “They use chainsaws. I just… wanted to give it a go.”

It was the first time Bucky had ever said something like it to Clint. The idea that he wanted to do something just because he could had Clint immediately agreeing to help, “I can’t say that I know anything about it but I’ll call Sam and ask about a starting point. Maybe we can find some local suppliers and stuff.”

Bucky looked ecstatic over such a small offer of help and Clint’s heart melted. Bucky glanced at Steve and then asked shyly, “Can we call now?”

Clint nodded, “Sure. I was supposed to call Natasha today anyway.”

Buck frowned, “Natasha?”

Clint chuckled, “Apparently they’ve reached the ‘sleeping over’ stage of their relationship.”

The call was productive and Bucky was obviously excited even though he was trying to hide it. Steve served Clint a perfect plate of eggs and toast. Steve sat next to Clint instead of Bucky and Clint hid his smile. It was obvious that they were all skirting around the subject of the night before but Clint wanted to be sure before he told them anything. They deserved nothing but absolute certainty.

It was a week later before anything progressed. Clint had taken Bucky to pick up the supplies for his new hobby including the protective equipment and they came back to find Steve huddled on the sofa with at least five blankets wrapped around himself. Clint sat next to him and he reached out tentatively to grip his shoulder. Steve leaned into the contact but he was staring into the blazing fire.

Clint asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

Clint wasn’t sure that Steve would answer but he did, “I’m cold.”

Clint looked at Bucky for guidance and Bucky was watching them sadly. Bucky moved closer slowly and sank down onto the floor in front of Steve instead of sitting on the sofa next to Clint. Bucky said gently, “We’re sorry, baby. We didn’t mean to leave you here for so long.”

Steve suddenly leaned against Clint and Clint automatically hugged Steve so that they were in a more comfortable position. Clint looked at Bucky, feeling slightly panicked, and Bucky smirked like the jerk he was. Clint sighed and ran his hands through Steve’s hair like he did for Natasha on the rare occasion that she needed the contact. Steve practically purred and snuggled closer to Clint.

They were sat for almost an hour before Steve pulled back. He looked embarrassed but the expression in his blue eyes wasn’t lost or empty any longer. Bucky looked relieved and Clint was kind of missing his super soldier blanket.

Clint asked gently, “Do you feel better?”

Steve nodded, “Yeah, that’s not happened for a while.”

Clint felt bad, “I didn’t realise that it did happen. I’m sorry Steve.”

Steve shook his head, “No, it’s okay. I don’t like to talk about it.”

Clint looked sharply at Bucky who grunted, “Sam and his friend are working on it.”

Clint nodded, “Good.” He suggested, “If Bucky sticks with this hobby we should all go together next time. You’d love it Steve because Bucky was running around like an excited puppy.”

Clint felt good because Steve laughed and Bucky protested but even he was smiling at the sound of Steve’s laughter. Clint almost stood up because he was going to make dinner but he didn’t even make it off the sofa because Steve said, “Wait, can I…” He looked at Bucky who nodded so Steve continued, “Can I kiss you Clint?”

Clint was slightly surprised at the request because nobody had spoken about their night-time conversation since it had happened. Clint couldn’t turn down the shy question and he said roughly, “Yeah.”

Steve leaned in slowly and finally he slowly brushed his lip against Clint’s. Clint wanted to know who’d taught Steve how to kiss because what followed blew Clint’s mind. It was achingly hot and he sucked and nibbled for a long, drawn out moment. Clint shifted closer but didn’t reach out to touch Steve. However, he parted his lips and moaned when Steve expertly coaxed Clint’s tongue into his own mouth so that he could suck on it. Clint was panting softly and Steve was slow to break off the kiss. Clint was dazed and Steve was smiling at him with hunger in his eyes.

Bucky broke the silence, “Fuck. That was… damn. So hot.”

Steve reached out to grab Bucky’s hand and pull him close. He smiled shyly and he nuzzled Bucky’s neck, “Can Bucky kiss you? I want to see.”

Clint whimpered, “You’re gonna kill me. Yeah, come here Bucky.”

Bucky was more bold and cocky which surprised nobody. He sat on Clint’s lap with a wide grin and tipped his face up gently with an encouraging finger on Clint’s chin. Bucky just licked at Clint’s lips and then twisted his tongue into his mouth. The kiss was downright filthy and Clint was in heaven. Bucky gripped Clint’s shoulder’s tightly and moved with precise rolls of his hips that had Clint half-hard and aching.

Bucky eventually leaned back, “Are you alright Stevie?”

Steve stood up and shifted so that he was stood behind Bucky. Bucky just leaned his head against Steve’s chest and they were both smiling at Clint like he was something amazing. Steve cupped Clint’s gently and asked, “Was that good?”

Clint swore softly, “Good? It was fucking incredible. I’ve never been turned on faster in my life.”

Bucky chuckled and leaned forward to nip Clint’s shoulder gently with his teeth, “Steve’s a great kisser.”

Steve pressed a kiss against Bucky’s temple, “You’re the one who is good with his mouth.”

Bucky smirked and Clint almost choked on air. Bucky hummed thoughtfully, “You’re good with your fingers.”

Clint shook his head and closed his eyes tightly, “Trying to kill me.”

Steve chuckled and asked, “Can we go to bed?”

Clint opened his eyes, “Alright, but you’ve gotta stop with the faux-innocent questions.”

Steve smirked wickedly and Clint swallowed hard. Bucky slipped off Clint’s lap but he stayed close as Steve leaned down slowly and whispered into Clint’s ear, “I want to finger you slowly, thoroughly, and then I want to watch Bucky fuck you hard. I want to watch you fall apart as Bucky’s cock moves inside of you. Then I want you to watch while Bucky sucks me off. He loves having my cock in his mouth. Sometimes it’s enough to make him hard again.”

In Clint’s defence it’d been a really long time so when he cupped himself through his trousers it only took him an embarrassingly short time to come while Steve whispered filthy things in his ear. Clint covered his face with his hands and groaned, “God, that’s embarrassing.”

He lowered his hands slowly and Steve was shaking as he watched Clint with dark, lust-blown eyes. Bucky was tucked up against Steve’s side and he was sucking and biting Steve’s neck, “Fuck, babe, that was hot. Poor Clint, he didn’t even get to have your hands on him.”

Steve looked oddly sheepish, “Sorry, Clint. I’ll make it up to you.”

Clint’s jaw dropped, “You’re… you…”

Bucky pulled Clint gently to his feet, “We’ll help you get cleaned up. We’ve got nothing to do today.”

Clint was nudged towards the stairs and he griped half-heartedly, “We can’t stay in bed all day.”

Bucky snorted and followed him up the stairs, “We can do whatever the fuck we want and I want to curl up in bed with both of you.”

Clint stripped and stepped into the shower. The space wasn’t big enough for all three of them which was something Clint thought idly about fixing in the future. Steve muttered something about changing the bed sheets and Clint was surprised when Bucky stripped and stepped into the shower with him.

Bucky made a vague gesture, “Can I touch you?”

Clint snorted, “Go ahead, and what’s with all of the questions?”

Bucky wrapped his arms around Clint so that his chest was against his back and he rested his chin on Clint’s shoulder, “Steve’s really into the honest communication part of a relationship and we read some stuff about how it’s really important in these situations. Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s just very different. I’ve always been better with weapons than words.”

Bucky kissed his shoulder, “I remember that the dames I dated used to love it when I talked, probably ‘cause I was complimenting them all the time, but now I feel more like you. Weapons are easier to understand than people. Luckily Steve loves to talk and he’s filthy. I don’t get why people buy his innocent act.”

Clint snorted, “I think that it has something to do with those damn puppy dog eyes.”

Bucky agreed, “He used to use them mercilessly when he was a skinny punk and he didn’t want to go out or get up on a morning. I could never understand why the girls weren’t interested in him whenever we went on double dates.”

Clint leaned back heavily against Bucky and asked, “Does he feel cold very often?”

Buck sighed, “Not as much anymore. Neither of us are big fans of ice or the cold and sometimes Steve just can’t convince himself that he’s warm even if he’s sweating. Sam really is helping him though and so are we.”

There was a knock on the shower door and Steve was smirking at them through the fogged glass, “Stop wasting water.”

Bucky snorted, “You’re just jealous you’re not in here.”

Steve sat on the small stool and leered, “Actually I’m very happy with the view.”

Bucky kissed Clint’s throat and murmured wickedly, “Do you want to give him a real show?”

Clint smirked and turned slowly in Bucky’s arms, “It’s probably about time I show you some of my other talents.”

Clint slid slowly to his knees and grinned confidently. Clint licked sucking cock enough that he was damn good at it and the knowledge that Steve was just watching them was exciting. Clint flicked his tongue lightly across the tip and then dedicated himself to wrecking Bucky with his hands and mouth. Bucky didn’t make a lot of noise but when he did it was sweet. Clint sucked the crown and flicked his tongue around the edge while he worked the shaft with his calloused fingers. Every now and again Clint would glance Steve who was watching them both intently. Clint swallowed when Bucky came and they washed quickly but thoroughly before they stepped out to kiss Steve who’d waited patiently.

Steve sucked on Clint’s tongue like he was desperate to taste Bucky’s come and Clint was grateful that Bucky was holding him up. Bucky undressed Steve because Clint was distracted by Steve’s leg between his thighs and Steve’s tongue in his mouth. Bucky tugged gently and said, “Bedroom.”

They fell onto the bed in a tangle of flailing legs and arms and their laughter turned to moans when Bucky gripped Steve’s ass and Clint wrapped his calloused hands around Steve’s cock. Steve laughed breathlessly, “Not fair.”

Clint grinned wickedly and licked Steve’s tight nipples, “Don’t you want to be rewarded?”

Bucky’s eyes were dark and heated as he stretched up to whisper into Steve’s ear just loud enough for Clint to hear, “You were so good. So good for us, Stevie.”

Steve whimpered and turned his head to kiss Bucky. Clint filed away the information for a later date and he made a twisting motion with his hand near the head of Steve’ cock that made him howl and pant into Bucky’s mouth. Bucky and Clint grinned smugly at each other and started kissing and sucking on any piece of Steve’s skin that they could reach. Steve arched and made hot little sounds that were a thousand times better when Clint wasn’t in a different room. He wanted to make Steve come but his own arousal was hard to ignore especially since it hadn’t been given any attention since he’d sucked off Bucky in the shower. Clint wasn’t sure whether he was relieved or annoyed that his body was trying to act like he was still a teenager.

Clint was about to slide down and taste Steve’s cock when Bucky did something that Clint couldn’t see and Steve yelled as he came over his stomach and Clint’s hand. Clint didn’t want to waste an opportunity so he smirked at them both and deliberately licked Steve’s come of his fingers. Steve’s eyes rolled back and he slumped against Bucky with a disbelieving expression but he didn’t look away. Bucky just looked hungry.

Clint gave it a moment’s thought and then he stretched out on his back and used his wet fingers to start jacking himself off. Steve whimpered and swore softly. Bucky kissed Steve briefly and then climbed over the post-orgasmic soldier so that he could kiss Clint deeply. Bucky held himself just above Clint’s body as he braced himself with his metal arm and he used his other hand to join Clint’s on his cock. They moved together since that Bucky didn’t push his hand away and Clint shook and swore as he came.

Bucky rolled off Clint onto the bed between him and Steve. They were all panting softly and smiling. Steve was curled up on his side, facing Clint and Bucky. Clint was still lying on his back with his legs sprawled inelegantly and come drying on his stomach. Bucky was trailing one hand lightly across his stomach and his metal arm was stretched up towards the headboard.

Clint shuffled a little bit closer to Bucky because you didn’t realise how small your bed was until you were trying to fit yourself and two super soldiers onto it. Steve shuffled closer to Bucky as well and he opened his eyes to smile at his two lovers. Steve stretched one arm across Bucky’s stomach so that he could hold hands with Clint. Apparently Steve was a guy who liked close contact after sex because he also tucked himself against Bucky’s side and kissed his shoulder.

Clint waited until he’d caught his breath and then he rolled to his feet. Steve pouted and Clint chuckled, “I’m just going to clean up.”

Steve nodded and then curled tighter against Bucky and mumbled, “We should talk ‘bout this.”

Bucky rolled his eyes and petted Steve’s hair, “Sure. Let Clint wash up first.”

Bucky and Clint gave each other fond smiles over Steve’s behaviour and Clint headed to the bathroom. He felt good. He’d just had excellent sex, he was wanted by two of the hottest men on the planet and they were all comfortable in each other’s space.

He walked back into the bedroom and stifled a laugh. Bucky was snoring lightly with his hand tangled in Steve’s hair. Steve was practically acting as Bucky’s blanket and he was asleep as well but thankfully he wasn’t snoring. Clint shook his head and picked up the covers off the floor. He tucked them in and then climbed in himself. There were other things that he could do and he wasn’t as tired as they obviously were but he didn’t want Steve to worry if they woke up. He made a mental note to use it as an example to Natasha about how he’d grown the next time she said anything to the contrary and he fell asleep slowly.

Clint woke up a couple of hours later and found that Steve was awake as well. Bucky was still dead to the world and Steve explained, “Bucky always sleeps hard after sex.”

Clint nodded, “Good to know. Are you good?”

Steve smiled dreamily and shifted until he was on the other side of Bucky and he could hug Clint, “Sorry. Bucky says I’m touch starved.”

Clint smirked, “That’s only because that’s what I’m always telling him, but maybe we all need it. The last person I cuddled was Natasha and she hates it.”

Steve blushed, “As you can probably tell, I love it.”

Clint wrapped his arms around him tightly, “Yeah, this is surprisingly okay.”

Steve hummed happily, “Good.”

Bucky rolled in his sleep and nudged Steve hard enough so that it was only Steve’s grip which stopped Clint from falling off the edge of the bed. They woke up a grumpy Bucky because they were laughing so hard.

The first thing Clint did the next day was order a larger, sturdier bed. He didn’t expect that they would all sleep together all of the time because sometimes there was nightmares and sometimes there were fights but Clint wanted the opportunity to be coddled by his boyfriends.

The second thing he did was call Natasha, “You were right.”

“Of course I was. Why was I right this time?”

“You were right about me, Steve and Bucky.”

“Technically it was Sam who told you to stop being so blind but I certainly echoed the sentiment. So, was it good?”

Clint rolled his eyes, “I’m not answering that.”

“That good?”

“Natasha…”

“Fine. You used to be more fun.”

“Lies. I’m always fun. I ordered a larger bed.”

“Wow, it’s good to know that you’re serious about them.”

“Who’d have thought that my life would become stranger after I gave up being a mercenary?”

“You were never just a mercenary Clint. You sounds happy.”

“I was going to say the same thing about you. Next time you visit you should bring Sam.”

“I will. Do you remember Budapest?”

Clint snorted, “I promise, no exploding turkeys and no European techno music.”

He could practically hear her smiling, “I was thinking about the boat ride down the river.”

“After or before smashing the champagne bottles.”

“After.”

“Yeah, that was a good night. You taught me how to dance.”

“I taught you a lot of things.”

“Yeah. It’s not over Natasha.”

“No, but it’s different.”

“At the moment, I’m thinking that different is great.”

“At the moment, I’m inclined to agree. My lunch break is almost over so I should go but before I do… Clint, I’m glad that you’re happy. Also, if they don’t look after you, I’ll have fun playing with them before I kill them.”

Clint laughed loudly, “I love you too Nat.”

When Natasha had hung up Clint slid his phone into his back pocket and shook his head at the sight out of the window. Steve and Bucky had started chopping wood and then it’d turned into a competition. They were both cheaters and bad losers so it had devolved into them rough housing and wrestling with each other in the mud. Clint was enjoying the show and he was feeling content.

Yeah, life sucked and sometimes there wasn’t anything you could do about it, but the tables always turned eventually and Clint was happy to hold onto any scraps of happiness he had.

Clint had taken a leap of faith so many times in his life:

S.H.I.E.L.D.

Natasha

The Avengers

Steve

Bucky

… Now being with Bucky and Steve didn’t feel like falling.

It felt like home.

**Author's Note:**

> 15/03/2017 - Oh wow, this fic has over 10,000 views! You guys are the best! Thank you all so much for reading xxx


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